plate no. 3219
Portrait of Miss Helen Parker
Thomas Eakins, 1908
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding subtle color variations and creating soft, diffused lighting.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, dress, and background.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar neutral tone.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the large shapes of the dress, background, and skin tones.
- step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in color and value.
- step 05
Develop the details of the dress, including the lace and embellishments.
- step 06
Work on the background, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create form and dimension.
- step 08
Refine the details and make any necessary adjustments to the composition.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre
secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and small amounts of alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue. The dress is primarily white with subtle tints of yellow ochre and blue. The background is a mix of burnt umber and alizarin crimson.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
- →Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
- →Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the dress.
- →Making the background too distracting.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium can be added to the paint to improve flow and drying time.
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